


before its too late

by Girlfromthemojave



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Falling In Love, Feelings Realization, Friends to Lovers, Ghouls, Light Angst, Near Death, Pining, Possible Character Death, Protectiveness, Rare Pairings, Some OOC, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-16 01:35:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13625778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Girlfromthemojave/pseuds/Girlfromthemojave
Summary: Haylen and Rhys have always had mutual feelings for each other but afraid to let someone in Rhys keeps his feelings hidden, but after him and Haylen scarcely survive a ghoul swarm attack in Cambridge and Haylen is left in coma, Rhys realizes a little too late just how much he loves her.





	1. 6 minutes

**Author's Note:**

> no smut just feelings...

6 minutes...that's all there was before hell broke loose. A quiet, peaceful walk through Cambridge With Hayden ended up turning into a bloodbath.

 

Hayden and I had only gone 4 blocks from the police station when the ferals swarmed us, we fought back to back, but somehow we got pushed apart, and separated. Haylen was knocked to the ground and I was cornered. 

 

The sounds and lights from our laser pistols were muddled by the groaning and and screeching of the ghouls.

 

I could see that Blood soaked through Haylen’s scribe uniform as the ferals clawed at her.

“Rhys!” She screamed before being knocked unconscious. Her scream cut through the sounds of ghouls and right into me.

 

“Haylen!” I screamed, my heart pounding in my chest, I felt pain searing through my limbs and torso as my uniform was shredded by the ghouls but I pushed it aside as I fought my way through the ghouls.

“I'm not giving up! I have to get to her!” I thought to myself. I was terrified as well as pissed. 

“No fucking abomination is going to take her away!” I snarled and yelled for her again, silently I begged for a miracle. 

 

“Hold on Hayley I’m coming.” I shouted as I fought onwards.

 

Hayden wasn't just my squad mate, she was my best friend. Fuck she was my only true and trusted friend and to her I was more than a friend. I knew she had feelings for me after all I had known her for almost 5 years. I took her under my watch when she first joined the Brotherhood, we've had close calls but we'd never let each other die. We’ve spent nearly every moment of the last half decade together. I couldn't imagine living a moment much less the rest of my life without that fiery red headed scribe.

 

Hearing no response, I threw myself under the feet of the ferals and rushed to her side. She was barely alive, the fucking creeps had clawed some of her fatigues off, exposing her pale freckled shoulders. I managed to Slaughtering as many ferals as I could till I was able to grab her and throw her over my shoulder.

 

I staggered and hobbled to a pile of rubble that had some semblance of a shelter to it. I shoved her inside and then clambered on top of her. Could feel the ghouls clambering around us, searching for us 

 

“Fuck if you’re going down then I'm going down with you Hayley.” I whispered into her ear, My skin stung and burned from where The ghouls had ripped through my armor but the pain of the onslaught was a paper cut compared to the pain of the idea of losing the redhead under me.

 

“Hayley!” I yelled as I patted her cheeks trying to wake her up, 

“God damn it scribe don't you dare die on me!” I hissed as I leaned my forehead on hers.

 

Her hood had been ripped off and her copper colored hair was now red with blood.

 

I didn't know if it was mine or hers.

 

“Come on ginger don't you die on me.” I hissed as I kicked at the ghoul biting my ankle.

 

2 minutes was all it took for us to be over run…

I checked for life threatening injuries as best as I could before I yelled out for reinforcements and quickly enough reinforcements showed up and pulled us out before mowing down the rest of the ferals.

 

“Haylen!” I Yelled again as someone loaded her a board and onto a vertibird that would be taking us to the Prydwen.

 

I shoved the hands trying to get me to lie down away.

“I'm not being separated from her! Let me go damn it!” I barked. I had to be with her, if she was going to die I wanted to be there. We were a pair and I'll would be damned before I'd let her die alone.

 

Although i could barely find strength to walk, with a burst of adrenaline I ran to the vertibird with Haylen in it and climbed aboard. My muscle burned as I scrambled and staggered into the vertibird there Succumbing to my injuries i collapsed on the floor but not before I grabbed Hayler's hand. “Rhys! You need to-” 

“Shut the fuck up! Don't even think about taking her...away from me!”

I snarled at the pilot with a promise of a boot up the ass if anyone tried to separate us.

 

The pilot started to say something but it made no sense.

“Hayden.” I groaned as my world went dark as I passed out beside my best friend, holding her hand for dear life.

 

It was only a few hours before I fought my way back to consciousness.

 

“Hay-Haylen?” I slurred groggily as & fought to sit up. Despite my blurry vision I was able to see someone standing beside him.

The mysterious figure tried to push me back down but in a drug induced haze I fought back and swung, a large hand caught me fist.

 

“Rhys that's enough now!Calm down!” A voice beat like voice boomed.

By now I could make out the features of the people around me the owner of the voice was no one other than Elder Maxson himself.

 

Instantly I sobered up and felt embarrassed. I had thrown a punch at the man in charge of the brotherhood, the man I owed my freedom and life too.

 

“High Elder Maxson sir, I'm- im so sorry. i-”

I stammered and tried to apologize but I was cut off by a gentle hand on my chest.

 

“It's alright Knight. You were just following instinct. No harm done and for someone just waking up from surgery you have a nice swing.” I flushed but quickly recovered I realized where I was and why.

 

“Hayden! Where is she?! Is she okay?!” I cried out as I tried to fight my way out of bed. But the Elder wasn't having any of that. Panic flooded through me as I remembered how the last time I saw her she was fighting for her life. 

 

“She's in surgery. She's….she's alive. That's all you need to know now please lay-” I glared at the bearded man, I respected him but high Elder or not, no one was permitted to keep me away from my scribe.

 

“Elder Maxson sir I'm sorry but I  won't just lie down while my best friend is team mate is fighting for her damn life! Now let me go!” I snapped as I tried to fight Maxson grip on my shoulders.

 

“This is an order Knight! I really don't want to fight you but you hurting yourself is going to do nothing for your partner!”

He barked as I cursed and realized he was right.

 

I snarled and slammed my fist on the metal table beside me, letting out a few snorts of frustration before taking a deep breath to clear my head.

 

“There we go Rhys that's better. Now that you're calming down I need you to tell me what happened. “  i sighed and let out a huff and let my head drop into my hands as the memories flooded through my head.

 

“It started when we went for a walk…”

  
  
  
  



	2. here for you

“So I can go see her now?”

I asked the doctor impatiently, the desperation in my voice was clear to everyone but I honestly couldn’t give damn at the moment, all I wanted no what I   _ needed  _ was to see Haylen, to hear her know it all smartass voice, to see her roll her dusty blue eyes at me even though it annoyed the hell out of me. My anxiety and Impatience were eating me as I finished drying my hands making me more tense than usual. 

 

“Yes but-” I didn’t wait for the doctor to finish before I bolted towards the OR recovery ward. The shooting needle like pain in my legs caused me to limp slightly and forced me to slow down. I growled in frustration, annoyed with my own body for being injured and for slowing me down.

 

It seem like ages before I found her room, I came to a skidding halt when I saw her through the tiny glass window. Tubes and wires were everywhere, I felt like the wind was knocked out of me as my chest tightened from shock and panic.

 

I shook my head and reminded myself that she had just come out of emergency surgery and that she was still there. I ripped the door open and rushed to her bedside, not caring about the sound of the door slamming behind me. 

 

“Haylen,” I whispered as I practically fell to my knees beside her, nearly sick with relief. I huffed and puffed as I leaned over her and examined her closely. I gently scooped her tiny hand into mine and gave it a soft but reassuring squeeze letting her know I was there. 

  
  


I let out a sigh of relief when I could see her chest rise and fall with each breath she took, I could hear the steady beeps of the monitor telling me she was alive. I took some comfort in that she was still here, that she had a chance at pulling out of this okay. 

 

“Haylen...” I whispered softly taking in the sight of her as I pulled the chair beside her bed as close as I could possible get, disregarding my own comfort to be close to her.

 

She was pale more so than normal, even her normally pink lips were pale. I reached out and brushed a lock of hair of her forehead away from a small suture. I took a couple of forced deep breaths before speaking, I had to get myself under control because unconscious or not I didn’t want her to know how scared I was, I had to be strong. I felt my eyes burn as tears threatened to break out.

 

“Get ahold of yourself Rhys. She’s here and she’s...well she’s alive. She’d never let you live down crying of her.” I chastised myself mentally as I tried to get a grip on myself.

 

I opened my mouth to speak but I couldn’t think of what to say, it’s not like she’d answer me. 

 

“Can you even hear me?” I whispered hoarsely, my throat dry from running and emotion.

 

“She’s unconscious not dead there Rhys.” I whipped my head up as I jumped up to my feet startled by the voice.

 

“Knight Cade...:” I grunted dryly my face flushed with embarrassment as I began to wonder how much he had seen. 

 

“Just me Knight, here brought you some water.” He gave an understanding smile and handed me a bottle of water before he walked to the end of Haylen's bed and preoccupied himself with reading her charts.

 

I didn’t realize how dry my throat had been till I gulped down half the bottle, letting the water moisten my mouth and quench my thirst.

 

“Thanks doc, so uh what brings you here?” I said panting as I sat back down on the padded chair beside the sleeping scribe and instantly my hand instinctively found hers wrapping itself around her small, frail hand also protectively.

 

“I heard that my favorite scribe was out of the OR and from both a personal position and as a medical professional I wanted to see her condition. So how are you holding up? Weren’t you with her when-” I felt my guard go up and cement itself back into place as Cade turned the spotlight on to me.

 

“We were ambushed? Yeah I was and you see what fat good I did.” I gruffed turning my face away from the doctor. I heard him sigh and hum as he washed his hands and put gloves on to examine Haylen’s injuries more closely.

 

“You saved her life Rhys, if you hadn’t pulled her to safety and gotten help-” I vigorously shook my head. 

 

“I failed to adequately protect my teammate, I failed that when I let those zombies separate us and overpower us!” I snapped bitterly as guilt tore through me as I squeezed Haylen’s hand. 

 

I heard Cade pull off his gloves and walk towards the door but before leaving he turned to me and said something that shocked me.

 

“If you had failed your duty as a teammate and partner, you’d be holding a thing of mutated fern flowers to toss on top of Haylen’s coffin instead of her hand and wearing a black suit and tie instead of lounge bottoms and bandages.” 

 

Then He opened the door and as soon as he closed it I could hear him give a sound of surprise as he was startled by someone standing other the other side of the door.

“Good evening Cade so How is she? Or should I say  _ they? _ How are they?” I stiffened as I recognized the voice instantly.

 

“Good evening Elder Maxson and it seems Haylen’s well borderline comatose. She’s got good brain activity and vitals are stable  but her neural responses were less than satisfactory and Rhys well he’s drowning himself in guilt but seems to be out of the woods. I’ll have to get his charts from his room but he’s recovering far better than his partner.” 

 

I felt sick as the words sunk in, I had been so selfish and desperate for relief that I assumed that she was okay because she was alive instead of checking to see what the full extent of her injuries were.

 

I started to hyperventilate as panic and fear set in along with agonizing guilt.

 

“Haylen….No….” I whispered as I propped my head up in my free hand while squeezing her’s. My heart struggled to keeping a steady beat as it pounded in my chest, 

 

I focused on the smell of her body, zeroing in on the seemingly permanent peppermint smell she always had because of her love of peppermint meltaway mints that she always carried with her. I let it fill my head and managed to center myself just in time for Elder Maxson to clap a gentle hand on my shoulder making me jump.

 

“Easy there Knight, It’s just me,” He said soothingly, I turned my head in his direction and prayed that no tears had managed to sneak out.

 

“How are you fairing?” I sighed and shook my head.

 

“I’m fine...unlike Haylen...It’s not fair sir, she put up more of a fight than I did and yet she’s...what the term comatose? I should be the one fighting to live, not her! I was the one who suggested we go out and I’m the one let her down.” I grumbled as I fixed Haylen’s blanket, trying to distract myself.

 

I could feel the young elder giving me looks of sympathy which irritated me, I didn’t deserve his or anyone’s sympathy. I should have been punished or reprimanded somehow...

 

“Knight Rhys, you didn’t let her down and honestly neither one of you deserve to be fighting for your lives. You did as you were trained to and followed protocol. You got you and Scribe haylen out of the situation to the best of your abilities. The goal of any soldier is to come home alive, and you did that and more. You’re a hero Knight and a damn good partner and best friend.”

 

I sighed and turned towards my elder, my emotions clear as day.

 

“No disrespect sir but I don’t believe that for a god damn minute! My partner and Team mate is in a coma and fighting for her life! I’ve said this at least a hundred times! I could’ve and should’ve done more to protect her. I just….I just can’t forgive myself for this, for letting myself be so weak as to nearly let my best friend..my closest squad mate lose her life to brain eating shufflers!”  I barked angrily through gritted teeth, I was fuming and ready to fight. I expected to be yelled at and told to leave but instead I got the opposite.

 

“I know what you're going through Knight and what happened to you and Haylen wasn't your fault in anyway and you know Scribe Haylen better than I, You know she's going to pull through. Now you aren't helping yourself nor Haylen by beating yourself up. She needs you to be calm and collected, she maybe unconscious but she can feel you and hear you. I'll be back in a few days to check up on you two. Try and get some sleep...I'll see about getting you a cot or getting Haylen moved to a double bed room so you can stay close. Ad Victoriam Knight Rhys." 

Before I could even say thing more he got up and left, leaving me and Haylen alone, with only the sound of her monitor beeping to break the silence.

  
  
  
  
  



	3. There and back again

**TWO WEEKS LATER...**

 

"She's been showing signs of consciousness and brain activity! The other day she- she squeezed my hand! That mean's she's going to wake up soon right?" 

I said bolting up right as Cade and Li discussed Haylen's condition in front of me, I wouldn't call myself a Scribe but I had picked  up on the medical lingo fairly quickly, learning words like EEG and Respiration rate and Tachycardia and how to adjust the drip rate on her automated IV pump and I was also being trained in how to clean her wounds.

 

"It could have been jsut reflexes but the results of the EEG do support Rhys's statement. Not to mention-"

 

"Mmmm..."

 

A moan from Haylen's bed drew everyone's attention and her hand twitched as I held it in mine as if she was trying to squeeze my hand.

 

"Haylen?" 

 

I whispered standing up, my heart starting to beat like crazy as my breath caught in my throat.

"Scribe Haylen are you awake?" Called Cade as he rushed to Haylen's other side, gently shaking her shoulder as she let out another moan.

"Scribe Haylen, it's me Doctor Madison Li, I need to know if you can hear me. If you can hear me Squeeze Knight Rhy's hand as hard as you can Sweetheart." 

I held my breath for a few second before I felt Haylen's hand gently squeeze mine and her eyelashes began fluttering.

 

"You're doing good Scribe, I'm going to draw the shades closed and turn off some of the lights so you can open your eyes when you're ready okay? Until then I need to listen me. If you can understand me give Rhys's hand one squeeze."

Almost instantly she responded by squeezing my hand, allowing me to let out a sigh of relief, a small smile making it's way on to my face.

"Okay that's good! Now Haylen I need you to let me know if you're in any pain or discomfort, give Rhys's hand one squeeze for yes and two squeezes for no. Can you do that for me?"

I caressed the back of her hand with my thumb as I waited for answer which was one squeeze.

 

"That's it Haylen...Do you hurt anywhere?" 

 

This time I was the one ask questions, my voice was strong but soft. It was clear I was nervous but also calm.

 

Two squeezes.

 

I let out a sigh of relief and smiled down at her, her eyes opening a sliver. 

 

"How's it going doc?" 

 

I chuckled softly as her eyes opened up a little more, looking around the room before focusing on me. Her beautiful blue eyes brightening as they tried to focus on me.

"Rh?"

Haylen croaked as she blinked slowly, a ghost of a smile forming on her lips as my cheeks nearly split form my own smile.

 

"Yeah I'm here Haylen. I'm...I'm right here." I sighed tears welling up in my eyes as hers opened up fully, her glowriously blue eyes seemed to glow in the dimly lit room.

 

"And has been since day one....Never once leaving your side." 

 

Cade side smiling as he recorded Haylen's vital signs and did her reflexs, I blushed and chuckled.

 

"is she still under NPO protocol or can she have some water?"  I asked Cade softly as I gently brushed a hair away from Haylen's face, earning a small appreciative hand squeeze from Haylen.

"Ehhh with in moderation...no more than 3 or 4 ounces of water at a time. We don't want to overwhelm her body just yet. Doctor Li will you get Haylen here a small cup of water?"

 

"Sure thing." 

 

While Cade and Li were distracted, I turned my full attention on to Haylen who seemed just as focused on me as I was on her.

"You know I thought I know what I was going to say when you finally woke up but now I have no idea what say." 

 

I whispered softly as I sat back down, and leaned on her bed, propping myself up with my elbows, now eye to eye with Haylen as Cade adjusted her bed so she sitting up a bit.

"Knight Rhys." 

Doctor Li nudged my shoulder and handed me a small plastic cup of water that had a straw in it before taking a step back.

"Thirsty?" 

I asked Haylen softly, she nodded and reached out for the cup, cautiously I handed her the cup, allowing my hand to linger underneath it just in case she dropped it. 

"Take it easy there," I cautioned her as she quickly sipped up the water and pulled away gasping for air.

I took the cup form her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder as she leaned back into the pillows.

"Rhys." 

She weakly whispered turning her head in my direction as her hand covered mine, giving it a small squeeze before she pulled our hands into her blanket covered lap.

"Thank you so much I-" 

She started saying before she started coughing a little. Her cough was dry but sounded painful as she winced and put her hand on her chest.

"Take it easy there Scribe, you just woke up out of a 2 week coma. Here's more water and now that you're awake and conscious Doctor Li and I will be leaving for a short period of time to update the rest of the crew. We'll be back shortly, okay?"

Knight Cade said as he patted Haylen's leg and handed me a now full cup of water for her. Haylen simply nodded and eagerly took the water from me and this time sipped at it slowly instead of chugging it.

"I heard you." 

Haylen whispered as she handed me the now half full cup, I let out a soft sigh and blushed as I looked into her eyes.

"I figured you were listening. So how much did you hear?" 

She chuckled and rolled her head around a bit before answering,

"More than enough...I heard a lot of things like you begging me to give you sign, and yelling at Elder Maxson, which I disapprove of by the way." 

She coughed a little before talking again pausing to get a sip of water as I blushed and bit my lip.

"I also heard you talking to Danse about you leaving the Brotherhood...If I didn't pull through." 

I groaned and hung my head, only lifting it up when I felt haylen place her small hand on my cheek, encouraging me to lift my head up and talk.

 

"Yeah about that....I thought that I was going to lose you and honestly if I had lost you..I-I don't know if I could ever be the same I just-"

My voice cracked as I went on talking, I felt embarrassed crying infront of my best friend...my partner and other half.

"Jesus look at me! Some soldier I am...huh?" I said wiping away tears as they welled up in my eyes, Haylen's face fell as she stroked my cheek.

"There's nothing wrong with crying Rhys...honest and besides you're still an amazing soldier and nothing can take that away."

I smiled and let out a weak sigh as I leanedinto her hand.

"So what else did you hear?" 

"Enough to know that you can singquite well."

Haylen snickered rolling her eyes as I blushed and sat all the way up, letting out a yawn just in time for Elder Maxson to open the door....

 


End file.
